The district police have recovered a large number of explosives, including gelatin sticks from the banned extremist outfit CPI (Maoist) from Rajabasa forest cover under Ghurabandha block in Ghatshila sub division. The explosives were hidden at a hillock of the mountain.
According to police, they stumbled upon the explosive materials following information provided by the local villagers. The police team which took part in the raid comprised SP( Operations) of East Singhbhum Pranav Anand Jha, Mosabani DSP Ajit Kumar Bimal, officer-in-charge of Ghurabandha IJpolice station Jyoti lal Rajwar and jawans of Jharkhand Armed Police ( JAP).
The recovered gelatin sticks were displayed at the Ghurabandha police station this morning. Confirming the operation, Mosabani DSP Ajit Kumar Bimal said that the consignment of 107 pieces of gelatin sticks and two magazine pouches were first spotted by villagers who had gone to the hillock in search of a rabbit to hunt it.
“It is a major breakthrough for the security forces. The Maoists seem to have hidden the explosives. The recovery of the explosives is a setback for ultras,” said Jha. He said that they have not been able to nab any Maoist so far.
"After spotting the gelatin sticks which were kept inside a sack, the villagers reported the matter to the village head who in turn approached the Ghurabandha police. later, a team was formed to carry out the operation for recovering the explosive materials which had a tag of Tamil Nadu," he said.
According to the senior police official, Rajabasa forest under Ghurabandha thana was a hotbed of CPI-Maoist rebels.
large part of the Ghatshila sub division is affected by extremist activities though, for last several months there’s stillness in the zone but extremists’ presence in the area is very much there and the forces have been carrying out patrolling and combing operation in the area on regular basis.
Sources informed that the ultras belonging to the banned outfit CPI (Maoist) have been active in the Ghatshila subdivision that comprises of areas like Dumaria, Musaboni, Chakulia, Bahragora and Ghatshila.
Sources informed that the police have decided to ensure strict vigil and deploy additional security forces in the fringe areas.
“Security has been beefed up in the area and they were keeping strict vigil on movement of the Naxalites. The plan is to keep a tab on the camps being operated by ultras,” said another official.